Illuminator



Feb 1s, 1941.v L, SCHEPMQES' l 2,232,276

ILLUMINATOR Filed aaron 22, 193'? s sheets-sheet 2 4Z ATTORNEYS Feb. 1s, 1941. SCHEPMOES 2,232276 ILLUMINATOR Filed latch 22, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 l l z l f 1 f ATTORNEYS Patented F eb. 1.8, 194i y UNITED STATES PATENT ortica murmures Hndsley Schepmoel, New Haven, Conn., assigner Safety C81' Hei!!! k Lilllfinl Company. a corporation otNcw Jersey Application March 22, 1937s Serial No. 132,226 y i i claims.4 (ci. zio-'1.35) l This invention relates to a. lighting ilxture and beam from .the light source. The use of other more particularly to a lens therefor for use in a railroad car or the like.

It is among the objects oi' this invention to pros vide an illuminating device which is inexpensive to manufacture andinstall, which enhances the appearance of the enclosure which it illuminates. and which efilcien-tly illuminates the enclosure without causing undue `glare therein.

lo 'Ihe invention according-ly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements. and arrangements of parts as will be exempliiled in the structure Ato be hereinafter described and the scope of the application of which will be inis dicatedintherouowing claims.

In the drawings. in which are shown several of the possible lembodiments of my invention,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary transverse elevation of a railroad car in which my illuminator-is installed;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, except that the illuminator is installed .in a different position;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal elevauan of the railroad car and lighting nxture shown in Figure l;

Figure 4 isa plan view corresponding to Fig' Figure 10 is a sectional elevation taken along -theline Il-i0oi."lFlgure9.v

Various attempts have been made in the past to illuminate effectively localized areas in an eaclosure such as a railroad car or other similar yi5 carrier. The success of these attempts has been at best indiiierent; installations of this general character are characterized by the creation of discomforting glare and a general atmosphere of gloominess throughout the car. especially in the upper portions thereof.

Some'oi the lighting fixtures now being used for localized or spot illumin-ation of the normal reading plane in the car, provide eithertoo little or too much light in the desired areas. This is usually due to the enianation of a symmetrical fixtures results' in a semi-dark condition in the upper portion of the car due to a'lack of light diffusion longitudinally ofthe car, ortsuch lixtures diiuse so intensely in lateral directions that 5 they create a bothersome glare. vIt isa further object of this invention to rectify the above conditions, in addition to others of a similar nature.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to' Figure 1, a car I0 is provided with seats l0 t2, over which extends a baggage rack I3 having secured thereto a lighting xture generally indictated at Il. Seats i2 are preferably pivotally mounted'on pedestals I5 so that the seats may be swung around at will to face the direction of 15 movement o! the car.

As shown in Figure 2, car I0 may not be provided with a baggage rack, and -in auch case I install my ilxture i4 in the roof or ceiling Illa ot the car. f 20 In each case, however. as shown in Figures 1 and 2 the beams of light as indicated by larrows A' emanating from fixture Il encompass 'transverselythe seats I2 located therebelow. Light from ilxtures Il illuminates the normal reading 25 plane of the passengers. This plane, indicated at P in Figure 3, is approximately at an angle of 45 with respect to the horizontal, with its center located preferably about 33 inches from the floor. As will be more clearly pointed out hereinbelow, 30 lighting fixture i4 also dliluses light in lateral directions,A as indicated by arrows B, this diffusion, however, being oi relatively low intensity. Referring now to Figure 3, it may be seen that the 'beam of lighty rays A viewed transversely 85 encompasses seat l2 and reading plane P longitudinally. As is better shown lin Figure 4, the light beam A is asymmetrical in shape, and thus conforms generally to the shape of seats l2, but there is no overlapping of adjacent beams, which 4o might result in areas of intense illumination, provductive .of glare.` Referring back to Figure 3,

in, through which extends a reflector 'I1 attached to a frame I3 or the like, suitably secured to rack n I@ as by welding for example, frame I8 bordering ss noie is. A bracket u a'screwea to s portion or reflector I'1and this bracket mounts a bulb and socket 29, which extends through hole Hc in the l reilector, so as to position the electric light bulb therewlthin. v

A hinge 2li is screwed to a depending portion I1b of the reflector, and carries a ilanged frame `22, which is enabled accordingly to pivot relative A spring 21 encircles the upper end of screw 24l and bears against the bottom of U-shaped bracket 2l, and against `a washer and cotter pin 28 associated with the end of screw 2 4, the screw thus being urged in an upward direction to force the head 4thereof against frame portion 22a to hold the frame in closed position in relation to baggage rack i3. By swinging screw 24 to the left about the pivotal axis of U-shaped bracket 215, frame 22 may be swung open to permit access to the interior of reflector I1, and also to permit installation of a lens generally indicated at 29.

Lens 29 is in the general form of a rectangular iianged dish. interposed between the manges 22h of frame 22 and the iianges of lens 29, I provide a suitable gasket or the like 3B which cushions the seat of lens 29 in the frame and prevents breakage thereof from vibration. The lens isheld in its installed position preferably by a suitable clamp 9| or the like, which is secured to frame. 22 and bears against the lens ilanges. l

With reference to Figure 6, wherein there is shown an exploded perspective view of lens 29. the lens generally comprises an innerl portion generally indicated at 32 and an outer portion generally indicated'at Il, between the vertical sides of which are disposed light illters 34, all as will bemore fully described hereinafter.

Upper lens 32 has a lower portion 35, on the bottom of which are formed concentric circular corrugations or prisms 31, these prisms being divided into four quadrants, as indicated by lines a, b, c and d. These prisms are so formed as to gather and concentrate light beams emanating from light bulb 2l. `Extending upwardly from bottom l5 are side walls $9 which terminate in a spacing ange 99 lying directly below a supporting ilange 49. Under certain circumstances the exterior surfaces of side walls 39 may be etched as by hydroiiuoric acid, the etching being provided, or not provided, in accordance with the intensity of light diffusion desired.

Lower lens portion 33 comprises a. bottom 4| having formed on the upper surface thereof, as viewed in Figure 6, parallel corrugations or prisms 42. Extending upwardly from bottom 4l are side walls 49 on the inner surface of which are formed parallel corrugations or prisms 44, and bordering and extending from the top of side walls 43 is a supporting ange 49 which asis better shown in Figure 5 rests on'gasket Il when lens 29 is installed in frame 22.

' Still referring to Figure 5 it may now be seen that when lens parts 32 and 93 are assembled. and are installed in frame 22, ilange 4S of lower lens part I9 is supported by frame flange 22h and Vgasket 99 and supports iiange 49 of' upper lens part 92. Spacing flange 39 of the upper lens part spaces side walls." and 43 respectively of the lens parts, these side walls also preferably being so proportioned that a space 4B is providedbetween bottoms -35 and 4I of the lens parts. It should be noted that prismsv 444 oxi the side walls of lower lens part l2 lie within the space between the adjacent lens part side walls,

while prisms 91 on the bottom of the upper lens ylight diffusion desired.

Preferably anges 49 and 4,5 of the upper and lower lens parts 32 and 33 respectively are cemented together at their contiguous surfaces to hermetically seal the. space between the lens parts, effectively precluding the entrance of dust or moisture, which otherwise might lodge between the prisms and on the etched surface of the upper lens part side walls 36, and detract from the eillciency of the lens.

While I prefer to form my lens 29 as hereinabove described, under certain circumstances the illters 3Q between the lens side walls may be dispensed with. However. where the filter and etched side walls are combined with the prisms on side walls 43 of lower lens part 33, the emanation of light, that is, the production of low in- Etenslty beams B (see Figures 1, 2 and 3) is'soit but yet ample for general illumination outside of the high intensity areas of illumination. It should also be noted that pleasing eects can be produced by using colored lters 84.

It -will now appear that the horizontal lens bottoms I5 and 4i of lens parts 32 and 32 form a double prismatic lens; lens bottom 35 is a concentrating or collecting lens, and lens bottom 4i is a diffusing lens. For a detailed description of such a lens, reference is made to United States Letters Patent to William A. Dorey 1,740,229 and 1,674,164. By utilizing a double prismatie lens of this type it is possible to produce an asymmetric beam rather than a symmetrical beam', and accordingly further localize the illuminated area, or conform the beam in shape to the general shape of the area to be illuminated asfor example a pair of seats in a railroad car. As has been noted hereinabove. such lenses are useful in and of themselves under certain circumstances, but it is'much more desirable to have a soft diffusion of light outside of the brilliantly illuminated areas, and this is effected conven-F .iently by lens side walls 39' and 49, winch will hereinafter be referred to as "light spills.

Referring now to Figures 'I and 8 which show a modified form of my light fixture or lens, the

lens -generally-indicated at 41 in Figure '1 includes a semi-cylindrical or trough-shaped double prismatic lens 49, formed by upper and lower portions 49 and 50 (Figure 8) having on their adjacent surfaces prisms 5I and 52: prisms Si are concentric circles divided into quadrants while prisms 52 are substantially parallel. Consequently portion 49 acts in a collecting capacity and portion I9 in a diffusing capacity. Lens 41 is also provided at its ends with substantially vertical light spills il and 54 comprising inner and outer parts 55 and 59 (Figure 8) having interposed therebetween light illters 51 preferably light diffusing characteristics similar to filters 34 (Figure 6M Similarly an etched surface'may be provided on inner wall 55 if desired.

Lens Il, as in the case of lens 29, is provided with a suitable ange generally indicated at $8 for purposes of installation. Thus lens Il will -diiuse' light of high intensity substantially in planes perpendicularl to the axis of semi-cylindrical double prismatic lens 48, but will diffuse light of low intensity in planes vsubstantially parallel to this axis, thus producing a generally fanshaped area of intense illumination and a genervided with a supporting flange B0. Double prismatic lenses 55, 16 and 51 are substantially similar to the double prismatic lenses heretofore described, the same being true of light spills 'I8 and 19. For example, double prismatic lens 'Il comprises an upper part 6| and a lower part 82. Concentric' prisms 63 are formed on thebottom surface of upper lens part 6I. while the upper surface of lower lens part 62 -is provided with parallel prisms 64. ThusV light is concentrated by upper lens part 6| and diffused by lower lens part 62. N f

As pointed out above, light spills 18 and 'I8 are substantially similar to' light spills 38 and thus light spill 1B is formed by inner and outer end Walls 65 and 66 between which is disposed a light filter B1 substantially similar to light filters 34 (Figure 6). Preferably a plurality of vertical parallel prisms 88 (Figure 10) are formed on the inner surface of outer wall 66 andthe outer surface of -inner wall 65 may be etched if desired. Under certain circumstances I have found it desirable to substitute a light spill in the place oi double prismatic lens 18.

As has been stated hereinabove, it is readily possible to control the intensity of light dinusion from any of the light spills described merely by using light filters of different thickness.

be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be lunderstood thatall matter hereinbefore set forth, or shown in the accompanying drawings, is

to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. I

I claim: l 1. In a lightingiixtur "construction -of the type n used upon railway cars toproduce raysof iight of controlled intensity and direction whereby a strong beam of light is' directed toward an 'area where an object is to be illuminated `and light of less intensity is directed toward other areas. a'

dish-like lens construction to bepos'itioned in front of a source of concentrated light and held in place by a rectangular frame structure, said lens construction comprising a rst Idish-like It can readily be seen therefore that this feature is ofv member rigidly positioned within a second dishlike member and a translucent iilter strip adapted` to pass only a predetermined light, each of said dish-like members being provided with aperipheral rim portion and central and side wall 5 portions, and said disk-like members contacting each other at their rim portions but being spaced from each other at 'their central and side wall portions, said filter strip being a separate band positioned between said dish-like members along said side wall portions, the central portion of one of said dish-like members being provided with a plurality of concentric light concentrating corrugations andthe central portion of the other of 15 said dish-like elements being provided with a plurality of parallel light diffusing corrugations,

and the side wall portions of one of said dish-like elements being frosted.

2. In a lighting flxture construction of the type used upon railway cars to produce rays of light 4of controlled intensity and direction whereby a strong beam of Alight is directed toward an area where an object is to be illuminated and light of less intensity is directed toward other'areas, a dish-like lens construction to be positioned in front of a source of concentrated iight and held in place by a rectangular frame structure, said lens construction vcomprising a rst dish-like member rigidly positioned within a second dish- 30 like member and a plurality of translucent iilter strips adapted tov pass only light of a predetermined range of wave lengths, each of said dishlike members being rectangular and being provided with a peripheral rim portion and central and sidewall portions, said side wall portions extending on all sides between said rim portion and said central wall portion, and said dish-like members contacting each other at their rim portions but being spaced from .each other at their central and side wall portions, said filter strips being positioned end to end between said dishlike members along said side wall portions. the central portion of one of said dish-like members being provided with a plurality of concentric light-concentrating corrugations and the central portion of the other of said dish-like elements being provided with a plurality of parallel lightdiffusing corrugations, and the side wall portions of one of said dish-like elements being frosted.

3. In a lighting fixture for a railway car, a source of light, a lens construction positioned in front of said source of light, and bracket means supporting said lens construction, said lens construction comprising a first dish-like member and a second dish-like member with translucent 'filter strips along the sides thereof, said second dish-like member being nested within said yfirst dish-like member and said dish-like members having substantially coextensive bottom and side walls and integral peripheral rim portions, said rim portions being held rigidly in contact with each other to maintain said bottom and side walls in denite spaced relation- Shi-l?. Said filter strips comprising thin translucent members positioned between the side walls of lsaid first dish-like member and the coextending comprising two dish-like members and a translucent iilter-strip means, each of said dish-like members being provided with a peripheral rim portion and central and side wall portions, said peripheral rim portions being clamped in posistrip means-#whereby the light which-passes through said bottom wall is diffused in an asymmetrical beam' and the light of low intensity passes from said sidewalls.

5. A lens construction as claimed in claim 4 wherein the central portions of said dim-like membersI are in the form of at plates which are positioned in parallel spaced relationship and wherein the adjacent surfaces of said flat plates are provided with prisms with the prisms on one plate beinrin the form of parallel transverse corrugaticns and with Ithe vprisms on the other plate in the form of concentricl circular corrugations.

6. A lens construction' as claimed in claim 4 wherein the central portion ot each of said dishlike meinbers is in the fom of a semi-cylindrical portion and said side wall portions are in the formo! disc segments covering the ends of said semi-cylindrical portions. l A v '1. A lens construction as claimed in claim 4 wherein the ,central portion of each of said dishlike members is inthe form of a semi-hexagonal portion and said side wall portions are in the form of plate segments said semi-hexagonal portions.

LINDSLEY SCHEPMOES.l

covering the ends ol 

